Collapsible storage container

ABSTRACT

A collapsible storage container includes a flexible container body, a rigid rim member fastened to the top edge of the container body around the top opening thereof, a plurality of strut bars each having one end respectively fixedly connected to the inside bottom wall of the container body in such a manner that the strut bars are biasable relative to the container body between a non-operative horizontal position where the free ends of the strut bars are rested on the inside bottom wall of the container body and the container body is collapsed in a flat condition and an operative vertical position where the free ends of the strut bars are stopped against the bottom edge of the rigid rim member to support the collapsible storage container in shape.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

a) Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to storage containers and moreparticularly, to a collapsible storage container that can beconveniently set up in an operative status or collapsed in a flatcondition.

b) Description of the Related Art

Due to limited indoor space, people may use storage cases to keepclothes, books, magazines, and other personal items. These storage casesmay be made of plastics, woods or other hard or rigid materials. Whennot in use, these storage cases occupy much floor space. Conventionalstorage containers for this purpose have a fixed configuration andoccupy much storage space when not in use.

Some commercial folding collapsible storage containers are known and canbe collapsed to reduce the dimension when not in use. However, regularcollapsible storage containers still cannot be kept in a flat conditionwhen collapsed. Further, these storage containers do not cause a senseof beauty when collapsed. To keep collapsed storage cases is alsobothersome.

There is known a collapsible storage container in which each uprightpanel of the container body thereof is made of soft sheet material andstuffed with hard boards to provide the desired stiffness. Further, thecontainer body simply has two grips arranged at two opposite sidesrelative to the top opening.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances inview. It is therefore the main object of the present invention toprovide a collapsible storage container, which can be conveniently andcompletely collapsed into a flat condition to reduce space occupationwithout detaching any component parts and can also be directlyconveniently extended from the collapsed flat condition into theoperative condition.

To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, acollapsible storage container includes a container body made of aflexible sheet material and having a top edge and an opening surroundedby the top edge, a rigid rim member fastened to the top edge of thecontainer body around the top opening, a plurality of strut bars eachhaving one end respectively fixedly connected to the inside bottom wallof the container body in such a manner that the strut bars are biasablerelative to the container body between a non-operative horizontalposition where the free ends of the strut bars are rested on the insidebottom wall of the container body and the container body is collapsed ina flat condition and an operative vertical position where the free endsof the strut bars are stopped against the bottom edge of the rigid rimmember to support the collapsible storage container in shape.

Further, fastening means may be used for detachably affix the free endsof the strut bars to the rigid rim member. For example, the fasteningmeans comprises a plurality of hook material strips affixed to theconnection area between the container body and the rigid rim member, anda plurality of loop material strips respectively installed in the freeends of the strut bars and detachably fastenable to the hook materialstrips to secure the strut bars in said operative vertical position.

Further, the rigid rim member has a mounting groove located on thebottom edge thereof, and the top edge of the container body is fastenedto the mounting groove of the rigid rim member.

Further, the top edge of the container body can be folded up and thenfastened to the mounting groove of the rigid rim member.

Further, the container body can be made having a circular or rectangularconfiguration. Further, the rigid rim member has a circular orrectangular configuration fitting the configuration of the containerbody.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a collapsible storage container inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates the collapsible storage container of the firstembodiment of the present invention collapsed into a flat condition.

FIG. 3 is a sectional elevational view of a collapsible storage inaccordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 corresponds to FIG. 3, illustrating the free end of the strut bardisengaged from the bottom edge of the rigid rim member.

FIG. 5 is an oblique elevation of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the collapsible storage container set up in theoperative condition.

FIG. 6 is a schematic plain view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the collapsible storage container collapsed intoa flat condition.

FIG. 7 is a schematic plain view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the rigid rim member of the collapsible storagecontainer lifted and the strut bars biased upwards from thenon-operative horizontal position toward the operative verticalposition.

FIG. 8 is a schematic plain view of the second embodiment of the presentinvention, illustrating the collapsible storage container fully extendedout.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a collapsible storage container inaccordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is showncomprising a container body 1, a rigid rim member 2 and a plurality of aplurality of strut bars 3.

The container body 1 is made of a flexible sheet material having acircular configuration and an opening defined in the top side thereofand two opposing through holes 11 disposed near the top open side. Therigid rim member 2 is a ring member fastened to the top edge of thecontainer body 1 around its top opening. The strut bars 3 each have oneend respectively fixedly connected to the inside bottom wall of thecontainer body 1, and are biasable relative to the container body 1between a non-operative horizontal position and an operative verticalposition. The length of the strut bars 3 are not less than the heightbetween the bottom edge of the rigid rim member 2 and the inside bottomwall of the container body 1. When the strut bars 3 are biased from thenon-operative horizontal position to the operative vertical position,the free ends of the strut bars 3 are stopped against the bottom edge ofthe rigid rim member 2, supporting the collapsible storage container inshape (see FIG. 1). When the strut bars 3 are biased from the operativevertical position to the non-operative horizontal position, the freeends of the strut bars 3 are disengaged from the bottom edge of therigid rim member 2, enabling the collapsible storage container to becollapsed into a flat condition (see FIG. 2). Further, fastening meansmay be provided to detachably affix the free ends of the strut bars 3 tothe rigid rim member 2. For example, hook material strips 12 are affixedto the connection area between the container body 1 and the rigid rimmember 2, and loop material strips 31 (not shown) are respectivelyinstalled in the free ends of the strut bars 3 and detachably fastenableto the hook material strips 12 to secure the strut bars 3 in theoperative vertical position. When the strut bars 3 are set in theoperative vertical position to support the container body 1 in shape,the through holes 11 and the rigid rim member 2 are used as grips of thecollapsible storage container.

FIGS. 3˜8 illustrate a collapsible storage container in accordance witha second embodiment of the present invention. According to this secondembodiment, the collapsible storage container has a rectangularconfiguration. The rigid rim member 2 is a rectangular frame memberfastened to the top edge of the container body 1 around its top opening,having a mounting groove 21 located on the bottom edge thereof. Themounting groove 21 is an endless groove having a keyway-like crosssection, i.e., the cross section of the mounting groove 21 has arelatively wider upper part and a relatively narrower lower part that isan open part. The container body 1 has the top edge thereof folded up 13and then engaged into the mounting groove 21 of the rigid rim member 2(see FIG. 3). The strut bars 3 each have one end respectively fixedlyconnected to the inside bottom wall of the container body 1, and arebiasable relative to the container body 1 between a non-operativehorizontal position and an operative vertical position. When the strutbars 3 are biased from the non-operative horizontal position to theoperative vertical position, the free ends of the strut bars 3 arestopped against the bottom edge of the rigid rim member 2, supportingthe collapsible storage container in shape (see FIG. 5). When the strutbars 3 are biased from the operative vertical position to thenon-operative horizontal position, the free ends of the strut bars 3 aredisengaged from the bottom edge of the rigid rim member 2 (see FIG. 7),enabling the collapsible storage container to be collapsed into a flatcondition (see FIG. 6). Further, fastening means may be provided todetachably affix the free ends of the strut bars 3 to the rigid rimmember 2. For example, hook material strips 12 are affixed to theconnection area between the container body 1 and the rigid rim member 2,and loop material strips 31 are respectively installed in the free endsof the strut bars 3 and detachably fastenable to the hook materialstrips 12 to secure the strut bars 3 in the operative vertical position(see FIG. 8).

Further, the strut bars 3 can also be respectively affixed with therespective fixed ends to the inside bottom wall of the container body 1in the four corners thereof.

Although particular embodiment of the inventions have been described indetail for purposes of illustration, various modifications andenhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except asby the appended claims.

1. A collapsible storage container comprising: a container body made ofa flexible sheet material and having a top edge and an openingsurrounded by said top edge; a rigid rim member fastened to the top edgeof said container body around the top opening of said container body; aplurality of strut bars each having opposing first end and second end,the first ends of said strut bars being respectively fixedly connectedto an inside bottom wall of said container body in such a manner thatsaid strut bars are biasable relative to said container body between anon-operative horizontal position where the free ends of said strut barsare rested on the inside bottom wall of said container body and saidcontainer body is collapsed in a flat condition and an operativevertical position where the free ends of said strut bars are stoppedagainst a bottom edge of said rigid rim member to support saidcollapsible storage container in shape; and fastening means adapted fordetachably affix the free ends of said strut bars to said rigid rimmember.
 2. The collapsible storage container as claimed in claim 1,wherein said fastening means comprises a plurality of hook materialstrips affixed to the connection area between said container body andsaid rigid rim member, and a plurality of loop material stripsrespectively installed in the free ends of said strut bars anddetachably fastenable to said hook material strips to secure said strutbars in said operative vertical position.
 3. The collapsible storagecontainer as claimed in claim 1, wherein said rigid rim member has amounting groove located on the bottom edge thereof; the top edge of saidcontainer body is fastened to the mounting groove of said rigid rimmember.
 4. The collapsible storage container as claimed in claim 3,wherein the top edge of said container body is folded up beforefastening to the mounting groove of said rigid rim member.
 5. Thecollapsible storage container as claimed in claim 3, wherein containerbody has a circular configuration; said rigid rim member has a circularconfiguration fitting the configuration of said container body.
 6. Thecollapsible storage container as claimed in claim 3, wherein containerbody has a rectangular configuration; said rigid rim member has arectangular configuration fitting the configuration of said containerbody.